You are taught the words thank you from the time you are a baby. It is used to show appreciation for an act of kindness. It is used to show gratitude for your recognized acts of kindness. It is used to simply show someone what they mean to you. As college students, saying thank you becomes more and more scarce. We want to be independent adults. We don’t need any help. Here are some people you should stop and say thank you to as you start to discover who you are.

Thank you, college tour guides and ambassadors, for showing me why I should choose my university, showing me what the campus has to offer and convincing me this place is my new home. Without you, I would have not found the greatest place on earth.

Thank you, sorority sisters, for giving me a family away from home, showing me the right and sometimes wrong way to handle a situation, telling me it is okay to go out on a Wednesday and for accepting me for who I am. Without you guys, I wouldn’t have the skills to make everyday fun.

Thank you, freshman roommate, for showing me how to be a good roommate, making me clean up my messes, taking care of me when I have had a rough night, being willing to stay in and binge watch Grey’s Anatomy, and for doubling my closet. Without you, college would be a big scary place, and I would not have had the best year of my life.

Thank you, advisors, for telling me it is okay to change my mind, for helping me change my major 6 times only to end up in my original pick, giving me advice on internships and real life career goals, and for encouraging me to go abroad. Without you, I would have never found what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

Thank you, the toughest professor on campus, for making me frustrated, making me feel like I should drop out of school, for pushing me to do my best, and for showing me I can do anything with a little hard work. Without you, I wouldn’t have the power to never give up, even if at times it gets rough.

Thank you, Pizza Shuttle deliveryman, for giving me food at the library at 3 a.m. while I cram for my final exam. Without you, crying over accounting would be a lot more pathetic.

Thank you, my high school boyfriend, for showing me it is okay to move on, and for being my first love and showing me that growing up and growing apart is a part of life. Without you, I would have never realized what I wanted in a partner and how I should be treated.

Thank you, my high school best friend, for loving me during my awkward phase, helping me figure out the dating scene, being supportive about my college decision, and for still being in my life today. Without you, I would have never known what true friendship felt like.

Thank you, last year's pair of jeans, for showing me it is time to buy a new clothes, showing me that my body has changed with age and that is a natural part of life, and that it is time to start dressing like an adult. Without you, I would have never found my personal style and expressed myself through fashion.

Thank you, locals, for showing me the cool places to go, the hidden gems of the city, and embracing me as one of your own. Without you, I would have missed out on what my college town had to offer.

Thank you, internship boss, for making me get you coffee, letting me sit in on meetings, letting me show you what I have been working on, and for showing me the professional world. Without you, I never would have been the accomplished business woman I am today or understand what the real, working world is like.

Thank you, college boyfriend, for understanding me, loving me as the mature adult I have become, supporting me with all of my crazy decisions, and being the voice of reason. Without you, I never would have experienced a grown up relationship that made me understand who I should be in a relationship with.

Thank you, my older siblings, for being protective of me during my freshman year, helping me through recruitment, bringing me to my first party, and for giving me the best advice. Without you, I would have never appreciated how much I love you and how you are truly my best friends in life.

Thank you, Dad, for pushing me to visit all kinds of universities, supporting my decisions, respecting my view point, helping me when my car broke down or when I got pulled over, showing me a girl can love football, and for loving me unconditionally. Without you, I would not be the strong woman you had hoped I would grow up to be.

Thank you, Mom, for being my rock. For letting me call you late at night just to talk about my weekend, for coming up on a random weekend just to get our nails done, for showing me what it means to be independent and driven, but also that it is okay to call your mom for help and for loving me with all of your heart. Without you, I would have never known how to survive college, be independent, and figure out who I was suppose to be.